Reply With QuoteI don't think his sound fit into the Northern Soul definition. Perhaps some of his older uptempo soul tunes, like 'Think', fit into that mould?
Disco Funk
Double Platinum Record [Level 9]
*****
Just wondering ....how was James Brown received by the Northern Soul crowd?? :-?
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Platinum Record [Level 8]
I don't think his sound fit into the Northern Soul definition. Perhaps some of his older uptempo soul tunes, like 'Think', fit into that mould?
Disco Funk
Gold Record [Level 7]
Originally Written by Disco Funk
I think maybe his stuff was too polished... let's wait til DISCODISK or QUINNY responds.
Double Platinum Record [Level 9]
*****
I think I can answer my own question. To start with James Brown was too funky and his BPMs weren't high enough.
But more importantly he was too obvious, and there was no challenge in that . This movement wasn't about dancing to the best grooves that were around per say ... rather it was about dancing to the " best" grooves that were more importantly the most obscure.... and the more unknown the song and the artist , the better ...
That wouldn't include James Brown ......
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Chart Hit [Level 6]
The nearest to the sound, but not Northern Soul would be Night Train, a huge "mod" hit in the UK and one of his best dancers as far as I'm concerned.
Remember, the Northern Soul sound was "emulating" what Berry Gordy was producing and many acts were just trying to score a hit on the back of Motown's success and to the best of my knowledge James Brown never made a Motown-sounding tune!
Unlike Dusty Springfield, Anita Harris or Bobby Goldsboro ;)
Gold Record [Level 7]
that makes a whole lotta sense... nice post
Acetate [Level 1]
Hi forum members I would just like to add to this if i may
Northern soul is a very complicated animal
generaly records are required to have variations
of the motown 4 beat. James records generally had quite a heavy funk vibe so not many fitted over the years.
ones that were played were
Hey america its christmas
people wake up and live b side to gimmie some skin
you took my heart from the get up lp
what my baby needs now with lynn collins
lost someone from the Hell lp
Night train is a good R&B record but from an era before northern
and wasnt played at the clubs
Underground Hit [Level 5]
a james brown record got a lot of northern soul play a few years back -people wake up and live- the b side of gimme some skin (79) -tony98
No Longer Charting
Great record!
Might be worth adding 'Hey America' and 'Money Won't Change You' to this list.
As crateferret says, Northern Soul is a complicated animal and despite the perceptions some have, embraces lots of different styles of music.
Acetate [Level 1]
Some of JB's stuff is currently getting played on the Modern scene...
'So Long' from the Hot LP plus a track off the Hell album is getting plays from the big guns, can't remember which one, (I've got one coming in the post) but needless to say it is excellent
Chart Hit [Level 6]
Try "Out of Sight" as I've only just discovered it for the first time and boy...what a dancer
Chart Hit [Level 6]
Underground Hit [Level 5]
"Out of Sight" is a favourite of mine i havea copy on UK Phillips. Infact i have a soft spot for his early 60's stuff. One of my all time favourite albums is "Think" from 61/62 ,infact i like so much i have 2 of them on vinyl, an original release and a re-issue.
Indie Release [Level 4]
Superbad Superslick 7" version 1975.
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